Network Learning

Education Background:

Education in Panama is compulsory for the first six years of primary education and the three years of Middle School.  As of the 2004/2005 school year there were about 430,000 students enrolled in grades one through six (95% attendance). The total enrollment in the six secondary grades for the same period was 253,900 (60% attendance).  More than 90% of the population is literate. The educational system provides for the free schooling of all children in Primary and middle school. An excellent parallel private school system exists primarily in Panama City.

As of 2004, more than 92,500 Panamanian students attended the Universities in Panama. The main universities are the University of Panama, a state institution, with six campuses, the University of Santa Maria La Antigua, a Catholic institution, the Technological University of Panama and West Coast University. There are more than five other private universities, plus the recently created City of Knowledge and also including smaller colleges, there are about 88 institutions of higher education in Panama.

Literacy - those ages 15 and over that can read and write 
Total population: 91.9% 
Male: 92.5% 
Female: 91.2%

Education expenditures: Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2008)

School Access to ICT:  Stage 4

Most of the primary and secondary schools and all Universities have computer labs.  In 2002, Panama government took the initiative to implement IT infrastructure and computer accessibility for students at all public schools. The Internet for Everyone Project (IFEP) in Panama began with the Law 20 of May 7, 2002 in which Article 29A states that the government must “Provide Internet in the Schools”. With that mandate as a base, President Mireya Elisa Moscoso established an Inter-Institutional Commission made up of the Ministry of Education (MEDUC), Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), and the Secretary of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENACYT) to work together on the issue.  President Moscoso asked the Commission to give this project the highest priority.  Since June of 2002, the Commission has been meeting regularly and has installed computer labs in almost all public schools.

Enhancing Education with ICT:  Stage 3

In 2007, then Panama President Martin Torrijos introduced a new reform to education system.  The idea behind that was that students should be taught the English language as a second language and emphasis should be placed on computer skills as well.  These added skills enable Panama to compete with the first world countries on international services and trade within the next 10 to 20 years.

Panama government has also established the Panama Pacific Special Economic Area that provides tax incentives and benefits for ICT companies.

Developing the ICT Workforce:  Stage 3

While Panama has taken steps to enhance IT education, it still lacks skilled IT workforce. The ICT sector in Panama is composed of approximately 200 companies mostly small and medium sized, and are mainly engaged in the commercialization of ICT goods, rather than services. Significant percentages of these companies are international firms. The ICT sector has a medium-low innovative profile and the constraints that most companies are facing can be summarized in: shortage of software and telecommunications engineers. Panama government has prioritized projects that will contribute to increase in its ICT sector competiveness, through three lines of action:

·         Promotion of improvements in human capital

·         Improvement of competitiveness factors

·         Strengthening of the National ICT sector association

Panama is also working to become an international hub specializing in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). A new strategy is being executed by the Secretary of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENACYT) and the Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (CAPATEC), which are supported by national and international agencies. The plan "ICT National Strategy 2010-2014" is a strategy designed to develop the IT sector and turn the nation into a global center.